Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to inform you that James C. Duff has agreed to serve as interim dean of the J. David Rosenberg College of Law, effective July 1, 2025.  

Jim brings to UK extensive managerial and practical experience in both public service and the private practice of law, as well as in legal education. He served as counselor to Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist from 1996 to 2000 and as the director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts by appointment of Chief Justice John Roberts, first from 2006 to 2011 and then from 2015 to 2021. 

He taught constitutional law at Georgetown University for 16 years as an adjunct faculty member in the Walter Giles Endowed Department Seminar in Constitutional Law and Civil Liberties and as the Peter Mullin Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Department of Government. He also served as the managing partner of Baker Donelson in Washington, D.C., from 2000 to 2006.

Jim currently serves as the executive director of the Supreme Court Historical Society, an organization dedicated to preserving the history of and increasing public education about the U.S. Supreme Court. He began that role in 2021 and has expanded its outreach to students across the country.

He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate in the Honors Program of the University of Kentucky and earned his Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law School.

With his extensive experience working in various areas of law, coupled with his familiarity in expanding law education to different populations, I am confident that he will continue carrying on the tradition of excellence in scholarship and service for which the Rosenberg College of Law is nationally known. Please join me in congratulating and thanking Jim as he joins UK. 

The search for a permanent dean of the Rosenberg College of Law will continue in the early fall. I will provide more information about the search closer to that time. 

Please also join me in thanking Paul Salamanca for his service as acting dean and thank you for all you do for UK and our Commonwealth.

Robert DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to inform you that Dr. Craig Martin has agreed to serve as interim dean of the College of Pharmacy, effective Aug. 1, 2025.

Dr. Martin is a professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science and also serves as the College of Pharmacy’s associate dean for operations. He joined the college’s faculty in 2012 after 10 years of experience leading UK HealthCare’s national award-winning Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. 

Dr. Martin, a native of Kentucky and a graduate of the UK College of Pharmacy, has a deep knowledge of the college and its strengths, as well as the experience necessary to lead the college as it grows across its multiple areas of focus. As a nationally ranked and highly regarded program, the College of Pharmacy is helping lead the charge to advance Kentucky.

Please join me in congratulating and thanking Dr. Martin as he moves into this new role. 

I know you will also join me in thanking Dr. Kip Guy, who is transitioning into his role as the dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota.

Thank you for continuing to advance UK in all you do. 

Robert S. DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Rebecca Thomas has accepted the offer to serve as UK’s next associate provost for faculty advancement, effective July 7. 

Dr. Thomas comes to UK from Transylvania University, where she has served as the executive vice president for academic affairs and dean of the university since 2020. In this role, she provided strategic and operational leadership for academic affairs functions and ensured the academic integrity of courses and programs. She helped initiate and develop new minors through a faculty-centered process.

Dr. Thomas holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a doctorate in computer science from Stanford University, as well as expertise in the area of information technology. Prior to serving at Transylvania University, she held various leadership roles at Earlham College and Bard College.

I know you will join me in congratulating and welcoming Dr. Thomas to our campus. Her experience overseeing faculty services and working with faculty will translate well to the powerful faculty environment we have at UK. I am confident that she will continue demonstrating exemplary leadership for our faculty community and help us continue building our teaching, research and service missions. 

Please also join me in thanking Dr. Lisa Tannock for her service and leadership to UK as she begins a new phase in her career as dean of Queen’s University Faculty of Health Sciences in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. 

Robert S. DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

As of today, Rosalie Mainous is no longer serving as dean of the College of Nursing. In order to ensure a smooth transition of leadership, Gwen Moreland, chief nurse executive for UK HealthCare, will serve as acting dean. 

Gwen is a board-certified nursing executive with more than 25 years of nursing experience, including key management positions within UK HealthCare.

She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Kentucky and is also an adjunct faculty member of the College of Nursing. As acting dean, Gwen will help the college maintain an excellent academic experience for our students while supporting collaboration, innovation and leadership for faculty and staff as the college continues its critical work supporting UK’s mission to advance Kentucky.

The UK College of Nursing has a long tradition of outstanding academic excellence and is a highly ranked program — it is vital that we continue this positive momentum as we educate more students and address Kentucky’s nursing workforce shortage.

The college plays an essential role in the health of our state and, as such, this position is critically important. I will provide more information about the next steps in the search process for a new dean soon. 

Thank you for everything you do to advance Kentucky.

Robert S. DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Laura Bryan has agreed to serve as interim dean of the Lewis Honors College, effective June 1, 2025. 

Dr. Bryan joined the university in 2019 and has served in various roles, including acting dean of the Lewis Honors College from 2020 to 2022. She brings more than 30 years of experience in higher education and academic leadership into her role as the inaugural T.G. Lewis Faculty Scholar in Organizational Behavior within the college.

Throughout her leadership roles at UK and previous universities, Dr. Bryan has focused on student success and supporting faculty and staff at the same time. As acting dean of the Lewis Honors College, Dr. Bryan helped strengthen the Honors community by leading a collaborative process that resulted in the college’s first strategic plan, fostering faculty, staff and student engagement and developing and enhancing student leadership development programs. 

She is also an accomplished researcher and scholar, concentrating on areas such as academic leadership as well as industrial and organizational psychology. Dr. Bryan has also taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in courses ranging from the science of happiness and well-being and positive organizational psychology to managing effective organizations and leadership.

I am confident that Dr. Bryan will bring a deep focus on student success and continue the college’s positive momentum in this role. She has demonstrated outstanding leadership, and I know the Lewis Honors Community — all students, faculty and staff — will thrive with her guidance. 

Please join me in congratulating and thanking Dr. Bryan. And please also join me in thanking Dr. Christian Brady for his service as dean of the Lewis Honors College.

Robert S. DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

As you may know, Paul Salamanca’s appointment as acting dean ends June 30, 2025, and he will be taking sabbatical leave during the next academic year. Please join us in thanking him for his service this past year in the UK J. David Rosenberg College of Law (RCOL). To ensure a smooth transition upon his departure from the role, it is necessary to appoint the next interim dean to lead RCOL.  

Anyone in the RCOL community is welcome to suggest names of faculty candidates to serve as interim dean. Please click here to submit your recommendation for an interim dean, including a brief justification. Self-nominations are acceptable. All recommendations and justifications are treated confidentially. 

To ensure full consideration for interim dean recommendations, please submit your nominations no later than noon on Tuesday, May 27. 

Based on the recommendations of the RCOL community, I will consider the names suggested and engage in conversations with candidates of interest. With this critical input, I will select an interim dean and announce the appointment soon thereafter.

Thank you very much for your assistance in this important matter.

Robert S. DiPaola 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

As previously communicated, Dean Christian Brady has accepted the role of president of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. He will be stepping down as dean of the UK Lewis Honors College effective May 31, 2025. Therefore, it is necessary to appoint an interim dean to lead the Lewis Honors College until a new dean can be hired. 

Anyone in the Lewis Honors College community is welcome to suggest names of candidates to serve as interim dean. Please click here to submit your recommendation for an interim dean, including a brief justification. Self-nominations are acceptable. All recommendations and justifications are treated confidentially. 

To ensure full consideration for interim dean recommendations, please submit your nominations no later than noon on Tuesday, May 20. 
Based on the recommendations of the Lewis Honors College community, I will consider the names suggested and engage in conversations with candidates of interest. With this critical input, I will select an interim dean and announce the appointment soon thereafter.
 
Thank you very much for your assistance in this important matter.
 
Robert S. DiPaola  
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

As the May Commencement ceremonies approach, I encourage you to attend and celebrate our students as they cross the stage. Celebrating our students and their achievements during this milestone is a highlight of the academic year.

Commencement ceremonies will take place on Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10 at Rupp Arena at the Central Bank Center. Faculty are required to RSVP and wear their regalia. More details, along with the schedule and RSVP form can be found on the commencement website.

Please contact the commencement coordinator at commencement@uky.edu if you have questions. I look forward to seeing you there.

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D.
Provost

Dear Colleagues,

This year, we have faced challenges amid growing scrutiny on what we do as an institution. Through that scrutiny, however, my belief in that mission — and in the faculty who help carry out that mission — has never wavered. Your work is invaluable to the university and the communities we serve.

From your research exploring how disruptions to circadian rhythms and sleep impact health…

To the way you help shape our students’ journeys through academia and through life…

And expanding access to specialized care to ensure Kentuckians can receive care closer to home.

These are important reminders of the power our faculty hold through research, teaching, service and care. Our faculty drive impact to improve our Commonwealth and its people. 

As we continue to navigate the landscape, I encourage you to continue to stay up-to-date on the university’s response via https://pres.uky.edu/monitoring-federal-changes-2025.

Highlighting and sharing your work as faculty, researchers and instructors is a vital way of demonstrating the importance of what the University of Kentucky does and is capable of.

Thank you for continuing to uphold UK’s mission to advance Kentucky.

Robert S. DiPaola, M.D. 
Provost

Dear Colleagues,
  
As previously communicated, Dean Rodney “Kip” Guy has accepted the role of dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota. He will be stepping down as dean of the UK College of Pharmacy effective July 31, 2025. Therefore, it is necessary to appoint an acting dean to lead the College of Pharmacy until a new dean can be hired.

Advisory Committee Nominations
  
I will be forming an advisory committee of faculty, staff and students from the College of Pharmacy and meet with them to solicit their recommended names of acting dean candidates. If you would like to nominate an individual(s) or yourself to serve on the advisory committee, please click here.

Acting Dean Nominations
 
In addition, anyone in the College of Pharmacy community is welcome to suggest names of candidates to serve as acting dean. Please click here to submit your recommendation for an acting dean, including a brief justification.Self-nominations are acceptable. All recommendations and justifications are treated confidentially.

To ensure full consideration for both advisory committee membership and acting dean recommendations, please submit your nominations no later than noon on Wednesday, April 30.  
  
Based on the recommendations of the advisory committee and College of Pharmacy community, I will consider the names suggested and engage in conversations with candidates of interest. With this critical input, I will select an acting dean and announce the appointment soon thereafter. 
  
Thank you very much for your assistance in this important matter. 
  
Robert S. DiPaola
Provost